Blending old-school power chords with hardcore thrash, Bad Religion formed in Woodland Hills, California, in 1980.
The debut album from these SoCal brats scarcely resembled the harmony-drenched pop-punk they successfully purveyed for over two decades, laying the groundwork for California punksters like Green Day and The Offspring.
Funded by a $1,000 loan from his dad, the album kick-started guitarist Brett Gurewitz’s Epitaph label (which became home – via its Anti-imprint – to Tom Waits).
The album’s wordy polemics hinted at frontman Greg Graffin’s later career as a university lecturer.
On their major label debut, Stranger Than Fiction (1994), Bad Religion sounded fiercer than ever, blasting out of the box with Incomplete, the band allowed for only subtle variations in tempo and tone as they hurtled through 15 songs in less than 39 minutes.
Gurewitz quit the band in the 90s when he was strung out on drugs and was replaced by Brian Baker from Minor Threat.
In 2013 their 16th studio album, True North, gave them their highest-charting record to date in the US.
Greg Graffin
Vocals Brett “Mr Brett” Gurewitz
Guitar, vocals Jay Bentley
Bass, vocals Jay Ziskrout
Drums Brian Baker
Guitar Greg Hetson
Guitar Bobby Schayer
Drums
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